Kicking Horsehttp://www.skinet.com/skiing/taxonomy/term/62263/%252Ffeed
enSecrets of Kicking Horsehttp://www.skinet.com/skiing/photo-gallery/secrets-kicking-horse?lnk=rss&loc=kicking-horse
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/3304898463_b409483518.jpg" alt="Coffee" title="" width="1000" height="670" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Coffee</h4>
<div class="caption">There's caffeine and inspiration at Jita's Cafe on 11th Avenue every morning.&nbsp; A mix of professional ski guides, ice climbers, ski bums, and other ski town characters come by for the best coffee, espresso drinks, baked treats on the way to the hill.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/kicking-horse.png" alt="Best Pseudo-Ski Movie Terrain" title="" width="1000" height="562" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Kicking Horse Resort</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Best Pseudo-Ski Movie Terrain</h4>
<div class="caption">Now that ski patrol is bombing Superbowl, it's officially got the best cliffs.&nbsp; From multiple five footers to massive double stagers, you can find all that you need to pretend you are in a ski movie, or go 30’ past Terminator summit and drop right for a cliff-free run. Want to explore? Do not follow tracks. Sidecountry here is seriously big and avy prone. Hire these guys and ski safe&nbsp;<a href="http://adrenalindescents.com/">http://adrenalindescents.com</a></div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/5019425979_b59df76f81.jpg" alt="Libations Near The Lifts" title="" width="1000" height="600" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Libations Near The Lifts</h4>
<div class="caption">Even if you are down to your last pocketful of toonies, spend some at an apres session at one of the sickest ski hill watering holes ever. The Eagle Eye at the top of the Gondola is surrounded by glass and mind boggling views. Grab a couple of beers at the gorgeous bar, ogle all the lines you'd ski if you had your own helicopter, and eat some of the best poutine around.&nbsp; At the base, hit up Local Hero or Peaks Grill.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/rockwater-bar-and-grill-15_medium.jpg" alt="Party Like a Local" title="" width="1000" height="1500" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Party Like a Local</h4>
<div class="caption">Golden can be a little sleepy, but if you can still make it out after skiing the hill all day, rage at the Rockwater in downtown Golden. Or, according to Golden-based skier and founder of <a href="http://www.biglines.com/">Biglines.com</a> Tim Grey, drink like the locals at Riverhouse Tavern. Order a round of Shafts and the last person to finish buys the next round.&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/jj_kickinghorse_1489.jpg" alt="Feeling Strong?" title="" width="1000" height="665" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Kicking Horse Resort</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Feeling Strong?</h4>
<div class="caption">On a powder day, head out on CPR ridge, and go far, far down (you may think you’ve gone too far, but when a local blows by you at full speed, keep following her direction). Drop to your right for steep, soft trees, and at the bottom, keep heading right, waaay right, for soft snow all the way down. At the bottom you will funnel back to the base.&nbsp;</div>
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http://www.skinet.com/skiing/photo-gallery/secrets-kicking-horse#commentsResortsBritish ColumbiaCanadaskiing127708http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201203/jj_kickinghorse_1489.jpg127714Feeling Strong?
<p>On a powder day, head out on CPR ridge, and go far, far down (you may think you’ve gone too far, but when a local blows by you at full speed, keep following her direction). Drop to your right for steep, soft trees, and at the bottom, keep heading right, waaay right, for soft snow all the way down. At the bottom you will funnel back to the base.&nbsp;</p>
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, BC, has few lifts, and it's not known for nightlife, lodging, shopping or even ease of access. What it is known for is a lot of dramatic, serious terrain. A few tips to maximize your trip.<div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-pages">
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/3304898463_b409483518.jpg" alt="Coffee" title="" width="1000" height="670" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Coffee</h4>
<div class="caption">There's caffeine and inspiration at Jita's Cafe on 11th Avenue every morning.&nbsp; A mix of professional ski guides, ice climbers, ski bums, and other ski town characters come by for the best coffee, espresso drinks, baked treats on the way to the hill.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/kicking-horse.png" alt="Best Pseudo-Ski Movie Terrain" title="" width="1000" height="562" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Kicking Horse Resort</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Best Pseudo-Ski Movie Terrain</h4>
<div class="caption">Now that ski patrol is bombing Superbowl, it's officially got the best cliffs.&nbsp; From multiple five footers to massive double stagers, you can find all that you need to pretend you are in a ski movie, or go 30’ past Terminator summit and drop right for a cliff-free run. Want to explore? Do not follow tracks. Sidecountry here is seriously big and avy prone. Hire these guys and ski safe&nbsp;<a href="http://adrenalindescents.com/">http://adrenalindescents.com</a></div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/5019425979_b59df76f81.jpg" alt="Libations Near The Lifts" title="" width="1000" height="600" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Libations Near The Lifts</h4>
<div class="caption">Even if you are down to your last pocketful of toonies, spend some at an apres session at one of the sickest ski hill watering holes ever. The Eagle Eye at the top of the Gondola is surrounded by glass and mind boggling views. Grab a couple of beers at the gorgeous bar, ogle all the lines you'd ski if you had your own helicopter, and eat some of the best poutine around.&nbsp; At the base, hit up Local Hero or Peaks Grill.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/rockwater-bar-and-grill-15_medium.jpg" alt="Party Like a Local" title="" width="1000" height="1500" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Party Like a Local</h4>
<div class="caption">Golden can be a little sleepy, but if you can still make it out after skiing the hill all day, rage at the Rockwater in downtown Golden. Or, according to Golden-based skier and founder of <a href="http://www.biglines.com/">Biglines.com</a> Tim Grey, drink like the locals at Riverhouse Tavern. Order a round of Shafts and the last person to finish buys the next round.&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201203/jj_kickinghorse_1489.jpg" alt="Feeling Strong?" title="" width="1000" height="665" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Kicking Horse Resort</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Feeling Strong?</h4>
<div class="caption">On a powder day, head out on CPR ridge, and go far, far down (you may think you’ve gone too far, but when a local blows by you at full speed, keep following her direction). Drop to your right for steep, soft trees, and at the bottom, keep heading right, waaay right, for soft snow all the way down. At the bottom you will funnel back to the base.&nbsp;</div>
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gallery127711http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201203/3304898463_b409483518.jpgCoffee
<p>There's caffeine and inspiration at Jita's Cafe on 11th Avenue every morning.&nbsp; A mix of professional ski guides, ice climbers, ski bums, and other ski town characters come by for the best coffee, espresso drinks, baked treats on the way to the hill.</p>
127713http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201203/kicking-horse.pngKicking Horse ResortBest Pseudo-Ski Movie Terrain
<p>Now that ski patrol is bombing Superbowl, it's officially got the best cliffs.&nbsp; From multiple five footers to massive double stagers, you can find all that you need to pretend you are in a ski movie, or go 30’ past Terminator summit and drop right for a cliff-free run. Want to explore? Do not follow tracks. Sidecountry here is seriously big and avy prone. Hire these guys and ski safe&nbsp;<a href="http://adrenalindescents.com/">http://adrenalindescents.com</a></p>
127710http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201203/5019425979_b59df76f81.jpgLibations Near The Lifts
<p>Even if you are down to your last pocketful of toonies, spend some at an apres session at one of the sickest ski hill watering holes ever. The Eagle Eye at the top of the Gondola is surrounded by glass and mind boggling views. Grab a couple of beers at the gorgeous bar, ogle all the lines you'd ski if you had your own helicopter, and eat some of the best poutine around.&nbsp; At the base, hit up Local Hero or Peaks Grill.</p>
127709http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201203/rockwater-bar-and-grill-15_medium.jpgParty Like a Local
<p>Golden can be a little sleepy, but if you can still make it out after skiing the hill all day, rage at the Rockwater in downtown Golden. Or, according to Golden-based skier and founder of <a href="http://www.biglines.com/">Biglines.com</a> Tim Grey, drink like the locals at Riverhouse Tavern. Order a round of Shafts and the last person to finish buys the next round.&nbsp;</p>
127714http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201203/jj_kickinghorse_1489.jpgKicking Horse ResortFeeling Strong?
<p>On a powder day, head out on CPR ridge, and go far, far down (you may think you’ve gone too far, but when a local blows by you at full speed, keep following her direction). Drop to your right for steep, soft trees, and at the bottom, keep heading right, waaay right, for soft snow all the way down. At the bottom you will funnel back to the base.&nbsp;</p>
Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:23:31 +0000hhansman127708 at http://www.skinet.com/skiingOh, Canadahttp://www.skinet.com/skiing/photo-gallery/oh-canada?lnk=rss&loc=kicking-horse
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/whistler%20600.jpg" alt="Massive, eh?" title="" width="1000" height="667" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Massive, eh?</h4>
<div class="caption">From the high and iconic Rocky Mountains along the British Columbia–Alberta border to the impenetrable wilderness fortifying the Coast range’s Pacific edge, western Canada is, in a word, massive: 400,000-square-miles massive. With over 50 ski resorts, countless backcountry-touring, cat-skiing, and heli-ski operations (it’s rumored that 95 percent of the world’s heli ops are in BC), and mountains that often see over 500 inches of snowfall in a year, the Canadian West has endless schuss potential. Which, if you have a conquer-all personality, might make a visit here somewhat daunting.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/376479_10150403924328402_11092928401_8570602_1507606391_n.jpg" alt="Whistler Blackcomb" title="" width="1000" height="665" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Whistler Blackcomb</h4>
<div class="caption">We were skinning up to ski Blackcomb Peak’s DOA—a 1,000-vertical-foot chute that maxes out at 50 degrees—digging the spring corn far too much to make our business meeting on time. My partner plucked a phone from his pocket. “Bad news, Amber,” he fibbed. “We ran into this Brit up on Spanky’s Ladder who was in way over his head. Looks like we’re going to be a bit late.” Amber, who works for WB, understood. She hears stories like this all the time.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/jj_kickinghorse_1489.jpg" alt="Kicking Horse" title="" width="1000" height="665" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Kicking Horse Resort</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Kicking Horse</h4>
<div class="caption">Sleepy towns like Golden, British Columbia, give birth to killer ski resorts, possibly because there aren’t enough women to distract you from the mountain. Even if there were, you’d probably ski Kicking Horse anyway because of the frequent storms and better-than-sex chutes off Terminator Peak, CPR Ridge, and Redemption Ridge. And last year, Kicking Horse unveiled Super Bowl, a formerly off-piste zone featuring 15 powder-choked chutes. On the slim chance you do find a lady, you’ll be in sheet shape after days of crushing 4,000-vertical-foot laps off the Golden Eagle gondola.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/skg1009_res31_copy.jpg" alt="Big Tips: Beer and Blower" title="" width="1000" height="670" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Big Tips: Beer and Blower</h4>
<div class="caption">They make great beer up there, and not just Kokanee and Molson. Find craft brewers like Whistler Brewing Company and Alberta’s Big Rock Brewery in pretty much every municipality. <p>For backcountry tourers, most resorts offer (but rarely advertise) one-way touring tickets for cheap access to limitless untracked. Check out Whistler’s $35 backcountry pass, which is less than half the price of a resort ticket.</p></div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/whitewater.jpg" alt="Whitewater&#039;s Summit Chair" title="" width="1000" height="667" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whitewater </span></div>
<h4 class="title">Whitewater's Summit Chair</h4>
<div class="caption">The Summit chair at Whitewater Ski Resort, in Nelson, British Columbia, is one of North America’s longest continuously running lifts. Installed in 1975, the weathered double chugs up 1,300 vertical feet over The Blast, a steep, classic under-the-lift ripper. You’ll ride next to rat-race dropouts with pack-worn jackets and duct-taped pants, and tweens with goggle tans stained into their faces. At Whitewater, skiing is the way it was intended to be: by the community, for the community. There are no frills, and powder is shared among friends and strangers.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/mt%20cain.jpg" alt="Mount Cain" title="" width="1000" height="750" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Mount Cain</h4>
<div class="caption">Sitting on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, Mount Cain fired up its first diesel T-bar in 1981. In 1988, the upper T-bar opened, reaching an elevation of 5,800 feet and offering up a whopping 21 runs—and access to a massive backcountry playground. Several easy ski tours get you to the Island range’s fabled terrain, including the expansive West Bowl off the back side, all centered around a decidedly backwoods resort with a core, rootsy feel.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/skg1111_rgi_shames.jpg" alt="Shames Mountain" title="" width="1000" height="664" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Re Wikstrom</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Shames Mountain</h4>
<div class="caption">In 1990, 150 investors, mainly local northwest BC skiers, decided it was time to tap into the region’s goods. After researching several locales in the province, they settled on Shames. They chose wisely. Thanks to the Coast range and the Pacific Ocean, the resort receives 475 inches of annual snowfall. And while the mountain’s T-bar and double chair serve a small area, the access to incredibly big and varied backcountry terrain is unreal. Shames is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so come Wednesday, it’s on.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/2009-04/canada_whistler.jpg" alt="A Brief History of Canadia" title="" width="1000" height="699" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">A Brief History of Canadia</h4>
<div class="caption">10,000 years ago: As the last Ice Age ends, the glaciers retreat, revealing BC and Alberta’s wild and vertically spectacular mountains. <p>1811: First Bigfoot sighting is made, near Jasper, Alberta.</p> <p>1916: Nels Nelsen breaks the world ski-jumping record by jumping 183 feet at Revelstoke, BC.</p> <p>1968: Legendary Austrian guide and CMH founder Hans Gmoser introduces heli-skiing to the world with the opening of CMH’s Bugaboo Lodge.</p> <p>1971–72: Revelstoke sets the Canadian record for single snowiest winter since data collecting began—over 80 feet.</p></div>
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http://www.skinet.com/skiing/photo-gallery/oh-canada#commentsDestinationsSkiing AdventureBritish ColumbiaCanadaMount CainRevelstokeShames MountainKicking HorseWhistler/Blackcombskiing127143http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/skinetimages/content/images/2007/nov/skgtop25/whistlrm.jpg18756#1: Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
"We're number 1! We're number 1!" Cheerleader Dave Barry sis-boom-bahs over Blackcomb.
How to ski America's hat. <div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-pages">
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/whistler%20600.jpg" alt="Massive, eh?" title="" width="1000" height="667" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Massive, eh?</h4>
<div class="caption">From the high and iconic Rocky Mountains along the British Columbia–Alberta border to the impenetrable wilderness fortifying the Coast range’s Pacific edge, western Canada is, in a word, massive: 400,000-square-miles massive. With over 50 ski resorts, countless backcountry-touring, cat-skiing, and heli-ski operations (it’s rumored that 95 percent of the world’s heli ops are in BC), and mountains that often see over 500 inches of snowfall in a year, the Canadian West has endless schuss potential. Which, if you have a conquer-all personality, might make a visit here somewhat daunting.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/376479_10150403924328402_11092928401_8570602_1507606391_n.jpg" alt="Whistler Blackcomb" title="" width="1000" height="665" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Whistler Blackcomb</h4>
<div class="caption">We were skinning up to ski Blackcomb Peak’s DOA—a 1,000-vertical-foot chute that maxes out at 50 degrees—digging the spring corn far too much to make our business meeting on time. My partner plucked a phone from his pocket. “Bad news, Amber,” he fibbed. “We ran into this Brit up on Spanky’s Ladder who was in way over his head. Looks like we’re going to be a bit late.” Amber, who works for WB, understood. She hears stories like this all the time.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/jj_kickinghorse_1489.jpg" alt="Kicking Horse" title="" width="1000" height="665" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Kicking Horse Resort</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Kicking Horse</h4>
<div class="caption">Sleepy towns like Golden, British Columbia, give birth to killer ski resorts, possibly because there aren’t enough women to distract you from the mountain. Even if there were, you’d probably ski Kicking Horse anyway because of the frequent storms and better-than-sex chutes off Terminator Peak, CPR Ridge, and Redemption Ridge. And last year, Kicking Horse unveiled Super Bowl, a formerly off-piste zone featuring 15 powder-choked chutes. On the slim chance you do find a lady, you’ll be in sheet shape after days of crushing 4,000-vertical-foot laps off the Golden Eagle gondola.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/skg1009_res31_copy.jpg" alt="Big Tips: Beer and Blower" title="" width="1000" height="670" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Big Tips: Beer and Blower</h4>
<div class="caption">They make great beer up there, and not just Kokanee and Molson. Find craft brewers like Whistler Brewing Company and Alberta’s Big Rock Brewery in pretty much every municipality. <p>For backcountry tourers, most resorts offer (but rarely advertise) one-way touring tickets for cheap access to limitless untracked. Check out Whistler’s $35 backcountry pass, which is less than half the price of a resort ticket.</p></div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/whitewater.jpg" alt="Whitewater&#039;s Summit Chair" title="" width="1000" height="667" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whitewater </span></div>
<h4 class="title">Whitewater's Summit Chair</h4>
<div class="caption">The Summit chair at Whitewater Ski Resort, in Nelson, British Columbia, is one of North America’s longest continuously running lifts. Installed in 1975, the weathered double chugs up 1,300 vertical feet over The Blast, a steep, classic under-the-lift ripper. You’ll ride next to rat-race dropouts with pack-worn jackets and duct-taped pants, and tweens with goggle tans stained into their faces. At Whitewater, skiing is the way it was intended to be: by the community, for the community. There are no frills, and powder is shared among friends and strangers.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/mt%20cain.jpg" alt="Mount Cain" title="" width="1000" height="750" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Mount Cain</h4>
<div class="caption">Sitting on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, Mount Cain fired up its first diesel T-bar in 1981. In 1988, the upper T-bar opened, reaching an elevation of 5,800 feet and offering up a whopping 21 runs—and access to a massive backcountry playground. Several easy ski tours get you to the Island range’s fabled terrain, including the expansive West Bowl off the back side, all centered around a decidedly backwoods resort with a core, rootsy feel.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/201201/skg1111_rgi_shames.jpg" alt="Shames Mountain" title="" width="1000" height="664" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Re Wikstrom</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Shames Mountain</h4>
<div class="caption">In 1990, 150 investors, mainly local northwest BC skiers, decided it was time to tap into the region’s goods. After researching several locales in the province, they settled on Shames. They chose wisely. Thanks to the Coast range and the Pacific Ocean, the resort receives 475 inches of annual snowfall. And while the mountain’s T-bar and double chair serve a small area, the access to incredibly big and varied backcountry terrain is unreal. Shames is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so come Wednesday, it’s on.</div>
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<div class="image"><img src="http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/imagecache/enlarged_image/_images/2009-04/canada_whistler.jpg" alt="A Brief History of Canadia" title="" width="1000" height="699" class="imagecache imagecache-enlarged_image"/></div>
<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Whistler Blackcomb</span></div>
<h4 class="title">A Brief History of Canadia</h4>
<div class="caption">10,000 years ago: As the last Ice Age ends, the glaciers retreat, revealing BC and Alberta’s wild and vertically spectacular mountains. <p>1811: First Bigfoot sighting is made, near Jasper, Alberta.</p> <p>1916: Nels Nelsen breaks the world ski-jumping record by jumping 183 feet at Revelstoke, BC.</p> <p>1968: Legendary Austrian guide and CMH founder Hans Gmoser introduces heli-skiing to the world with the opening of CMH’s Bugaboo Lodge.</p> <p>1971–72: Revelstoke sets the Canadian record for single snowiest winter since data collecting began—over 80 feet.</p></div>
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gallery127147http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201201/whistler 600.jpgWhistler BlackcombMassive, eh?
<p>From the high and iconic Rocky Mountains along the British Columbia–Alberta border to the impenetrable wilderness fortifying the Coast range’s Pacific edge, western Canada is, in a word, massive: 400,000-square-miles massive. With over 50 ski resorts, countless backcountry-touring, cat-skiing, and heli-ski operations (it’s rumored that 95 percent of the world’s heli ops are in BC), and mountains that often see over 500 inches of snowfall in a year, the Canadian West has endless schuss potential. Which, if you have a conquer-all personality, might make a visit here somewhat daunting. Let go and submit to the laid-back vibe, to the enormity of a place with mountain ranges bigger than entire countries and storm cycles that can last for months, and you’ll see the true face of paradise. And paradise here comes in many forms—from the cosmopolitan nightlife of Whistler, where you can step off the back patio for a multi-day traverse, to the elemental extremes of Castle Mountain, where wind fills in tracks almost as quickly as you can lay them. In Canada, pro skiers and heli-guides mingle with international tourists and gritty ski bums while gangs of dreadlocked septuagenarians sit back, smile, and breathe it all in. Sure, there’s plenty of skiing to go around, but if you play your cards right, the wisest of the wise might just show you the goods. Because Canadians are nice like that, eh?&nbsp;</p> <p>Writer—Mitchell Scott: Snow-crystal researcher, Kootenay Mountain Culture magazine editor, Nelson local</p> <p>Consultants</p> <p>Leslie Anthony:Herpetologist, Whistler local, former editor of SBC Skier magazine</p> <p>Ross Janzen: Fernie local, snowy-mustache grower, Faction Skis employee</p> <p>Kevin Brooker: Radio host, ski bum, William Faulkner of Canada</p>
127148http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201201/376479_10150403924328402_11092928401_8570602_1507606391_n.jpgWhistler BlackcombWhistler Blackcomb
<p>We were skinning up to ski Blackcomb Peak’s DOA—a 1,000-vertical-foot chute that maxes out at 50 degrees—digging the spring corn far too much to make our business meeting on time. My partner plucked a phone from his pocket. “Bad news, Amber,” he fibbed. “We ran into this Brit up on Spanky’s Ladder who was in way over his head. Looks like we’re going to be a bit late.” Amber, who works for WB, understood. She hears stories like this all the time. Who wants to talk shop when there’s 8,000 acres of world-class terrain, from high-alpine glaciers to giant hemlock forests, spread across two mountains plastered by a stable maritime snowpack? After plundering DOA, we finally made it to the GLC, Whistler’s best après patio, where Amber and beers were waiting for us.</p> <p><strong>Whistler</strong><br>Total vertical 5,020 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Summit elevation 7,160 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Skiable acres 4,757&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Annual snowfall 410 inches&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Lifts 20</p> <p><strong>Blackcomb</strong><br>Total vertical 5,280 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Summit elevation 7,494 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Skiable acres 3,414&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Annual snowfall 410 inches&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Lifts 17</p>
127149http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201201/jj_kickinghorse_1489.jpgKicking Horse ResortKicking Horse
<p>Sleepy towns like Golden, British Columbia, give birth to killer ski resorts, possibly because there aren’t enough women to distract you from the mountain. Even if there were, you’d probably ski Kicking Horse anyway because of the frequent storms and better-than-sex chutes off Terminator Peak, CPR Ridge, and Redemption Ridge. And last year, Kicking Horse unveiled Super Bowl, a formerly off-piste zone featuring 15 powder-choked chutes. On the slim chance you do find a lady, you’ll be in sheet shape after days of crushing 4,000-vertical-foot laps off the Golden Eagle gondola. And if you don’t find company, there’s plenty of whiskey.</p> <p>Total vertical 4,133 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Summit elevation 8,033 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Skiable acres 2,750&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Annual snowfall 275 inches&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Lifts 5</p>
127146http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201201/skg1009_res31_copy.jpgWhistler BlackcombBig Tips: Beer and Blower
<p>They make great beer up there, and not just Kokanee and Molson. Find craft brewers like Whistler Brewing Company and Alberta’s Big Rock Brewery in pretty much every municipality.</p> <p>For backcountry tourers, most resorts offer (but rarely advertise) one-way touring tickets for cheap access to limitless untracked. Check out Whistler’s $35 backcountry pass, which is less than half the price of a resort ticket.</p> <p>A six-and-a-half-mile skin from Lake Louise, Skoki Lodge is rustic—no running water or electricity—but offers a full staff, three tasty meals per day, a wood stove, comfy backcountry digs for up to 22 people, and easy access to Banff National Park’s rowdy big-mountain terrain. [<a href="http://www.skokilodge.com]" target="_blank">skokilodge.com]</a></p> <p>The Powder Highway loops through eight ski resorts in the Kootenays—including Whitewater, Kicking Horse, Revelstoke, and Red Mountain—and serves up deep, dry snows and no crowds. [<a href="http://www.powderhighway.com" target="_blank">powderhighway.com</a>]</p> <p>Most resorts border crown land, public wilderness with no restrictions on backcountry access. So pack your avy gear, touring setup, and snow-camping kit and “get amongst it,” as locals say.</p> <p>The Spearhead Traverse is a horseshoe-shaped, one-to-three-day European-style tour from the summit of Blackcomb to Whistler (or vice versa) entirely in alpine terrain.</p> <p>Never, ever rent a car without snow tires. All-season wheels simply do not cut it in Canada, even with four-wheel drive. You’d be getting face shots all right—in the ditch.</p> <p>Whenever possible, buy beer in Alberta, where there’s only a five percent tax, compared to BC’s 12 percent.</p> <p>Ski Alberta. Lake Louise, Sunshine, Mt. Norquay, and Marmot Basin boast some of the longest ski seasons in Canada and arguably the best early- and late-season snow.</p>
127144http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201201/whitewater.jpgWhitewaterWhitewater's Summit Chair
<p>The Summit chair at Whitewater Ski Resort, in Nelson, British Columbia, is one of North America’s longest continuously running lifts. Installed in 1975, the weathered double chugs up 1,300 vertical feet over The Blast, a steep, classic under-the-lift ripper. You’ll ride next to rat-race dropouts with pack-worn jackets and duct-taped pants, and tweens with goggle tans stained into their faces. At Whitewater, skiing is the way it was intended to be: by the community, for the community. There are no frills, and powder is shared among friends and strangers. There’s no rush on the Summit chair because there’s so much good to go around.</p>
127145http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201201/mt cain.jpgMount Cain
<p>Sitting on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, Mount Cain fired up its first diesel T-bar in 1981. In 1988, the upper T-bar opened, reaching an elevation of 5,800 feet and offering up a whopping 21 runs—and access to a massive backcountry playground. Several easy ski tours get you to the Island range’s fabled terrain, including the expansive West Bowl off the back side, all centered around a decidedly backwoods resort with a core, rootsy feel.</p> <p>» Total vertical 1,499 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Summit elevation 5,800 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Skiable acres 250&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Annual snowfall 456 inches&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Lifts 3</p>
127150http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201201/skg1111_rgi_shames.jpgRe WikstromShames Mountain
<p>In 1990, 150 investors, mainly local northwest BC skiers, decided it was time to tap into the region’s goods. After researching several locales in the province, they settled on Shames. They chose wisely. Thanks to the Coast range and the Pacific Ocean, the resort receives 475 inches of annual snowfall. And while the mountain’s T-bar and double chair serve a small area, the access to incredibly big and varied backcountry terrain is unreal. Shames is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so come Wednesday, it’s on.</p> <p>» Total vertical 1,600 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Summit elevation 3,900 feet&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Skiable acres 130&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Annual snowfall 475 inches&nbsp; ||&nbsp; Lifts 3</p>
65685http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/2009-04/canada_whistler.jpgWhistler BlackcombA Brief History of Canadia
<p>10,000 years ago: As the last Ice Age ends, the glaciers retreat, revealing BC and Alberta’s wild and vertically spectacular mountains.</p> <p>1811: First Bigfoot sighting is made, near Jasper, Alberta.</p> <p>1916: Nels Nelsen breaks the world ski-jumping record by jumping 183 feet at Revelstoke, BC.</p> <p>1968: Legendary Austrian guide and CMH founder Hans Gmoser introduces heli-skiing to the world with the opening of CMH’s Bugaboo Lodge.</p> <p>1971–72: Revelstoke sets the Canadian record for single snowiest winter since data collecting began—over 80 feet.</p> <p>1973: Alan Drury starts the world’s first cat-ski operation, Selkirk Wilderness Skiing.</p> <p>1980: Blackcomb opens, igniting an intermountain rivalry with Whistler. Seventeen years later they will join forces.</p> <p>1989: Rob Boyd becomes the first Canadian male to win a World Cup downhill on Canadian soil, at Whistler, his home hill.</p> <p>Late 1990s: New Canadian Air Force members Mike Douglas, JP Auclair, and JF Cusson start the freeskiing revolution. No biggie.</p> <p>2010: Vancouver and Whistler host the Olympic Winter Games, which see more American medals than ever before.</p>
Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:04:32 +0000hhansman127143 at http://www.skinet.com/skiingKicking Horse to Get Biggerhttp://www.skinet.com/skiing/backcountry/destinations/2010/01/kicking-horse-to-get-bigger?lnk=rss&loc=kicking-horse
<!--paging_filter--><p>Gordon Campbell, <a href="http://worldclassshitty.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gcampbell.jpg">famous for drinking and driving in Hawaii</a>&nbsp;less so for being British Columbia's highest-ranking politician, personally green-lit Kicking Horse's further development. The name of said plan? The not-even-remotely-sinister "Master Plan." The plan includes 11 proposed lifts, expanding the terrain for a total of 4,188 skiable acres, 20,000 hotel rooms, and a trail system and golf course for summer. Not bad, eh.</p>
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<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Kicking Horse</h4>
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http://www.skinet.com/skiing/backcountry/destinations/2010/01/kicking-horse-to-get-bigger#commentsDestinationsResortsBCGoldenkicking horseBritish ColumbiaCanadaKicking Horseskiing105923http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201001/kicking-horse.png105924Kicking Horsehttp://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/201001/kicking-horse.png105924Kicking HorseThe already-huge big mountain paradise gracing Golden B.C. will be getting a hell of a lot more terrain and lifts.<!--paging_filter--><p>Gordon Campbell, <a href="http://worldclassshitty.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gcampbell.jpg">famous for drinking and driving in Hawaii</a>&nbsp;less so for being British Columbia's highest-ranking politician, personally green-lit Kicking Horse's further development. The name of said plan? The not-even-remotely-sinister "Master Plan." The plan includes 11 proposed lifts, expanding the terrain for a total of 4,188 skiable acres, 20,000 hotel rooms, and a trail system and golf course for summer. Not bad, eh.</p>
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<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Skiing Magazine Editor</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Kicking Horse</h4>
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articleTue, 26 Jan 2010 18:44:23 +0000jakebogoch105923 at http://www.skinet.com/skiingBlame Canada?http://www.skinet.com/skiing/backcountry/backcountry-safety/2009/09/blame-canada?lnk=rss&loc=kicking-horse
<!--paging_filter--><p>On February 15, 2009, Gilles Blackburn and his wife, Marie-Josée Fortin, got lost beyond the gates at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden, BC. Two days later, backcountry skiers reported seeing SOS signs stamped into the snow. Other skiers reported the same thing on the 21st. Nine days after they left the resort, a search-and-rescue team started looking for them. By then, Fortin, 44, had died of hypothermia, and Blackburn, 51, suffered frostbite. Now Blackburn is suing the Golden and District SAR, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort for negligence in conducting a timely search. </p>
<p>Ski resorts get sued all the time. But Blackburn’s suit has wreaked havoc on area search-and-rescue groups. The Golden SAR team discontinued service for one month. “We need assurance that SAR societies have legal protection,” says Kyle Hale, manager for the Golden and District SAR. Rescue teams are adamant that the Canadian provinces—rather than the teams’ own insurance policies—should provide liability protection. Otherwise, they maintain, volunteers assume unreasonable risk. “We’ve actually seen people resigning,” says Peter Reid, president of the Kimberley, BC, SAR, which suspended activity for nine days following news of the lawsuit. “The threat of legal liability makes it more difficult for us to convince recruits that it’s worth spending time away from their families, risking their safety, and making themselves legally vulnerable.”</p>
<p>Blackburn’s suit has also ignited a public debate over the personal liability of backcountry skiers. Canadian newspaper columnists decried his risky behavior and accused him of playing the blame game with the Golden SAR and RCMP. Across Canada, Blackburn is being painted by the media as careless and overly litigious.</p>
<p>In the United States, where 90 percent of SAR’s operations are performed by volunteers, state and federal laws protect individual rescuers “except in cases of gross negligence,” says Howard Paul, spokesman for the U.S.’s National Association for Search and Rescue. But in Canada, “It will be precedent-setting,” says Hale, who hopes the case will urge skiers to be prepared for the backcountry. “You need to be ready to effect your own rescue.”</p>
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<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Ryan Creary</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Alex Girard ponders his legal options at Kicking Horse, BC.</h4>
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http://www.skinet.com/skiing/backcountry/backcountry-safety/2009/09/blame-canada#commentsBackcountrySkiing AdventureBritish ColumbiaCanadaKicking Horseskiing101130http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/200909/rcreary_oct08-4.FT_.jpg101127Alex Girard ponders his legal options at Kicking Horse, BC.http://www.skinet.com/skiing/files/_images/200909/rcreary_oct08-4.FT_.jpg101127Alex Girard ponders his legal options at Kicking Horse, BC.One skier’s lawsuit sidelines search-and-rescue teams in BC.<!--paging_filter--><p>On February 15, 2009, Gilles Blackburn and his wife, Marie-Josée Fortin, got lost beyond the gates at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden, BC. Two days later, backcountry skiers reported seeing SOS signs stamped into the snow. Other skiers reported the same thing on the 21st. Nine days after they left the resort, a search-and-rescue team started looking for them. By then, Fortin, 44, had died of hypothermia, and Blackburn, 51, suffered frostbite. Now Blackburn is suing the Golden and District SAR, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort for negligence in conducting a timely search. </p>
<p>Ski resorts get sued all the time. But Blackburn’s suit has wreaked havoc on area search-and-rescue groups. The Golden SAR team discontinued service for one month. “We need assurance that SAR societies have legal protection,” says Kyle Hale, manager for the Golden and District SAR. Rescue teams are adamant that the Canadian provinces—rather than the teams’ own insurance policies—should provide liability protection. Otherwise, they maintain, volunteers assume unreasonable risk. “We’ve actually seen people resigning,” says Peter Reid, president of the Kimberley, BC, SAR, which suspended activity for nine days following news of the lawsuit. “The threat of legal liability makes it more difficult for us to convince recruits that it’s worth spending time away from their families, risking their safety, and making themselves legally vulnerable.”</p>
<p>Blackburn’s suit has also ignited a public debate over the personal liability of backcountry skiers. Canadian newspaper columnists decried his risky behavior and accused him of playing the blame game with the Golden SAR and RCMP. Across Canada, Blackburn is being painted by the media as careless and overly litigious.</p>
<p>In the United States, where 90 percent of SAR’s operations are performed by volunteers, state and federal laws protect individual rescuers “except in cases of gross negligence,” says Howard Paul, spokesman for the U.S.’s National Association for Search and Rescue. But in Canada, “It will be precedent-setting,” says Hale, who hopes the case will urge skiers to be prepared for the backcountry. “You need to be ready to effect your own rescue.”</p>
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<div class="photo_credit">Photo by: <span>Ryan Creary</span></div>
<h4 class="title">Alex Girard ponders his legal options at Kicking Horse, BC.</h4>
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articleSat, 05 Sep 2009 16:35:32 +0000sweatyigloos101130 at http://www.skinet.com/skiing